Fuchsia plant named ‘Sanifhoho’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Fuchsia  plant named ‘Sanifhoho’, characterized by its compact and mounding growth habit; freely branching and bushy plant habit; white-colored flowers; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and relative tolerance to low and high temperatures.

Botanical designation: Fuchsia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sanifhoho’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Fuchsia,botanically known as Fuchsia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Sanifhoho’.

The new Fuchsia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan. The objectiveof the breeding program is to create new mounding and freely branchingFuchsia cultivars with numerous flowers and attractive flower color.

The new Fuchsia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventors in 2003 in Nishinormiya, Hyogo, Japan of a proprietaryselection of Fuchsia×hybrida identified as code number auf2, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofFuchsia×hybrida identified as code number ark6, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Fuchsia was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inNishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan in October, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Fuchsia plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan and Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan since November, 2005, has shown that the unique features ofthis new Fuchsia plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Fuchsia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Saniflioho’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Saniflioho’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofFuchsia:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching and bushy plant habit.    -   3. White-colored flowers.    -   4. Freely flowering habit; long flowering period.    -   5. Relatively tolerant to low and high temperatures.

Plants of the new Fuchsia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Fuchsia have larger leaves than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have purple violet and light pink bi-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Fuchsia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as        upright as plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia have green-colored stems whereas        plants of the male parent selection have red purple-colored        stems.    -   3. Plants of the new Fuchsia have single flowers whereas plants        of the male parent selection have double flowers.

Plants of the new Fuchsia can also be compared to plants of ‘Sanihanfarl2’ disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,779. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan, plants of the newFuchsia and ‘Sanihanf arl2’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Fuchsia had shorter lateral branches than        plants of ‘Sanihanf arl2’.    -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia had smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Sanihanf arl2’.    -   3. Plants of the new Fuchsia had larger flowers than plants of        ‘Sanihanf arl2’.    -   4. Plants of the new Fuchsia and ‘Sanihanf arl2’ differed in        petal color as plants of ‘Sanihanf arl2’ had red purple and        white bi-colored petals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Fuchsia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Fuchsia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sanifhoho’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up of a typicalflower and flower buds of ‘Sanifhoho’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan, undercommercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with daytemperatures ranging from 15° C. to 32° C. and night temperaturesranging from 10° C. to 25° C. Plants had been growing for about one yearin 13.5-cm containers when the description and photographs were taken.In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Fuchsia×hybrida ‘Sanifhoho’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Fuchsia×hybrida identified as code number auf2, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Fuchsia×hybrida identified as code number ark6, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one to two weeks at            temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at            temperatures of 15° C. to 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 30 days            at temperatures of 15° C. to 23° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; yellowish white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit.            Freely branching; with lateral branches developing            potentially at every node; bushy plant habit; vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 25 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 12 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.1 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly arching.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 146D; occasionally lightly tinted with close            to 59A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,            close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 146A; venation, close to 146A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 10.9 mm. Diameter: About 1.9 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146D tinted with close to            59A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single axillary flowers;            flowers pendulous. Freely flowering habit with potentially            two flowers per leaf axil.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; in Japan,            plants flower from spring to autumn; flowering continuous            during this period.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three to four days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.8 cm.        -   Flower height (depth).—About 3.3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Lenticular. Length: About 3.5 cm.            Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Color: Close to N155B.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Typically four in a single whorl.            Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Obovate.            Apex: Truncate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When            opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N155B. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N155B.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx star-shaped with four sepals            fused at the base. Length: About 3.4 cm. Width: About            1.1 cm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; satiny. Color: When opening and fully opened,            upper surface: Close to N155B. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: Close to N155B; blushed with pink.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.6 cm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm.            Angle: Arching. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:            Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 145B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Eight per flower.            Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 5 mm by            1.8 mm. Anther color: Close to 60D. Pollen amount: Moderate.            Pollen color: Close to 155A. Pistils: Quantity: One per            flower. Pistil length: About 6.5 cm. Style color: Close to            155C; towards the apex, close to 69C. Stigma shape: Conical.            Stigma color: Close to 10D. Ovary color: Close to 144A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Fuchsia.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Fuchsia have relatively    good temperature tolerance and have been observed to tolerate    temperatures ranging from about −2° C. to about 33° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Fuchsia have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Fuchsia.

1. A new and distinct Fuchsia plant named ‘Sanifhoho’ as illustrated anddescribed.